Objectives

The purpose of this application note is to give a brief background on 5G (NR) wireless communication an explain the reason a SNYPER-5G Graphyte may need a SIM card to give more rounded survey results.

5G NR (New Radio) communication

5G is the fifth-generation wireless cellular technology, developed by 3GPP with faster speeds, higher capacity, lower latency, and increased reliability compared to 4G (LTE) architecture. It is designed to support a wider range of devices and applications, from smartphones to smart cities to driverless cars, generally the Internet of Things (IoT). There are two architectures that Network Operators employ for 5G network cellular communications.

NSA (Non-Stand Alone) and SA (Stand Alone)

• The NSA architecture was devised so that the operators could use the existing 4G (LTE) structure to take advantage of 5G. When a 5G call is made using NSA, the signals use 4G (LTE) to connect to the cells. The LTE cells then convert this to the 5G capable equipment to make use of the low latency and high bandwidth that 5G offers. Basically, 5G NSA is backwards compatible with 4G (LTE)

• The SA architecture (a 5G only infrastructure) was deployed around 2023 for operators to use for 5G capable equipment. This makes full use of 5G capabilities.

Why is it sometimes necessary to use a SIM card when using SNYPER 5G

SNYPER 5G, like all SNYPER Cellular Signal Strength analysers, surveys all the nearby cells without a SIM card and shows which networks are stronger in a specific area to allow the user to choose the best SIM card/Network for their cellular real estate.

When running a survey, the SNYPER 5G will show all cells using 5G (SA) and LTE technologies. It is however, incapable of showing 5G NSA communication, as it cannot “see” which 4G (LTE) cell was used to pass on the 5G signal (since network operators use the LTE infrastructure for the initial connection), then communicate with 5G capable equipment.

To overcome this issue, the SNYPER 5G should be equipped with a 5G SIM card. The SIM card then decodes which 4G LTE cell was used for 5G communication.

It should be noted that when using a SIM card in SNYPER 5G the results will only show the cells from the network that the SIM card belongs to. To overcome this, it is recommended that a Roaming SIM card is used, although the results will be limited to the networks that the Roaming SIM card can connect to.

The post Why Use a SIM Card With The SNYPER-5G appeared first on Siretta Limited.

Scanning cellular networks is an important part of your system design and can optimise your solution but what happens when things don’t go to plan? When networks are discovered which are not expected or networks can’t be found in a known good location?
In this application note, we explain how to enable SNYPER debug logging to capture low level data from the SNYPER to allow Siretta engineers to investigate further.

What SNYPER debug log does?

The SNYPER debug log records internal events from the radio interface and operating system status messages generated by the software during its operation. These elements combine to provide a detailed breakdown of what is happening ‘under-the-bonnet’. With this detailed information Siretta engineers can evaluate the survey performed in detail and diagnose and troubleshoot any anomalies that are discovered.

How to turn SNYPER debug logging on?

1) Power on your SNYPER and wait for the menu system to appear

2) Navigate to ‘Setup’ and select

3) Navigate to ‘System’ and select

4) Activate the tick on ‘Debug log enabled’ to turn on logging

How to use SNYPER debug logging?

1) Navigate to ‘Survey’ and choose your survey options

2) Perform the survey in the location where an anomaly has been seen previously

3) Wait for the survey to complete

How to send the SNYPER debug log to Siretta?

1) Navigate to the ‘USB HDD Enable’ and select

2) Follow the on screen instructions

3) Navigate to the SNYPER HDD in your file manager

4) Locate the ‘debug-log.bin’ file and email it to your Siretta contact.

5) Alternatively send an email to ‘support@siretta.com’ explaining the anomaly and attach the log file

6) Siretta engineering will try and get back to you within 48 hours

The post Enable SNYPER Debug Logging appeared first on Siretta Limited.

Introduction

The SNYPER range of cellular signal analysers are equipped with a built-in display for viewing survey results. Given their compact screen size, users may opt to view survey results on a smartphone or tablet to benefit from a larger display. Apple devices running iOS 14 or later are able to read data from an external hard drive, users can utilise this functionality to directly view/download survey results once a SNYPER is connected.

Objective

This application note provides guidance on how to access files from the SNYPER’s internal hard drive using an iOS device.

Requirements

• iPhone or iPad running iOS 14 or later.
• Lightning to USB Camera Adapter or, Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter.
• A file manager app installed on the device (e.g., Files by Apple).
• USB-A to USB-C that supports data transmission.
Siretta has tested and verified a suitable Lightning to USB Camera Adapter for use with the SNYPER:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lightning-Charging-Compatible-Supports-Controlle-USB-2/dp/B0BY2S8W1B/ref=sr_1_3

Connecting a SNYPER

1. Attach the Lightning to USB camera Adapter to the charging port of the iPhone or iPad.
2. Attach one end of the USB-A to USB-C cable to the charging port of the SNYPER and the other end to the adapter.
3. Power on the SNYPER and activate “USB HDD Enable”
4. Navigate to and open the Files app.
You can use the Files app or other supported apps that provide access to files stored on external devices.
5. Select ‘Browse’ and then, under ‘Locations’, select ‘SNYPER-HDD’ from the list of storage devices.

Accessing the hard drive

In the SNYPER’s file directory, folders are labelled according to the date the survey took place (year/month/day).
1. Browse the folders to find the desired survey.
2. Select the ‘HTML’ subfolder.
3. Open the desired HTML report.

The HTML file will launch in the default browser. Use pinch-to-zoom gestures on the HTML page to enhance visibility of the content. Alternatively, rotate the device to landscape orientation.

Following the outlined steps, users should now be able to view and access survey reports on their iOS devices.

Additional reading

IOS is a trademark or registered trademark of Cisco. Siretta’s products, including the SNYPER range of cellular network testers, are not endorsed by or affiliated with Cisco in any way.

The post Accessing the SNYPER HDD using an iOS® device appeared first on Siretta Limited.

Introduction

With the increasing need for compatibility with Windows applications and software, setting up a virtual machine (VM) on macOS has become a popular solution. Virtualization software allows users to create a virtualized environment within macOS, enabling the installation and operation of Windows alongside macOS.

Objective

This application note provides a comprehensive guide for setting up a Windows virtual machine on macOS using UTM virtualisation software. By following these step-by-step instructions, users can seamlessly run SirettaSPARK and other Windows applications on their macOS devices without the need for separate hardware.

Completion Time

The outlined steps are anticipated to require approximately 30 to 40 minutes for completion.

Requirements:

• A macOS device with sufficient resources (RAM, CPU, storage).
• A valid Windows installation ISO or disk image file.
• UTM Virtualisation software installed.
• CrystalFetch software installed.

Prerequisites

Before proceeding, ensure the following things are checked:

Procedure

Installation of CrystalFetch

1. Open the App store and search for ‘CrystalFetch’.
– Download and install CrystalFetch.
– Launch the CrystalFetch application.
2. Select which version of Windows you would like to install.
– Choose the architecture that corresponds to the system being used.
– Choose your preferred language followed by the edition of Windows, then click ‘Download’.
– Take note of the download location, as this file will be needed later.

Installation of UTM

1. Navigate to mac.getutm.app to download the latest version of UTM.
2. Open the disk image file (.DMG) then drag and drop the UTM app into the applications folder.
Launch the UTM application.

Configuring the virtual machine

1. Select ‘Create a new Virtual Machine’.
2. Select either ‘Virtualize’ or ‘Emulate’ then ‘Windows’.
Note: Apple silicon processors do not support virtualizing Windows 10; however, they can run Windows 10 through emulation. If you wish to run Windows 10 on an Apple silicon processor, opt for emulation instead of virtualization.
3. Check both ‘Install Windows 10 or higher’ and ‘Install drivers and SPICE tools’.
4. Click ‘Browse’ then navigate to the ISO image and select it, then click continue.
5. Allocate an appropriate amount of memory and CPU cores to the VM, taking into account the total amount available on your device.
6. Allocate an appropriate amount of storage: The minimum requirement for Windows 11 is 64GB.
7. Optionally, select a directory to make accessible within the VM.
8. Press ‘Save’ to create the VM then the play icon to start.

Configuring Windows

• Following the initial splash screen, when prompted, press any key to start the Windows installer.
Note: If you have any issues with the mouse, press the mouse capture button in the toolbar to send mouse input directly, alternatively, press Control + Option together.
• Follow the on-screen instructions. You’ll be asked to perform a few tasks such as connecting to Wi-Fi and choosing some preferences.
• Once complete, you will have a fresh new installation of Windows.

SirettaSPARK setup

Installation

To download SirettaSPARK, please visit the link below.
• https://www.siretta.com/sirettaspark (SirettaSPARK Direct Link)
The downloaded file, SirettaSPARK.exe, is an executable file. No installation is required. Consequently, it will not appear in Windows Apps & features and if no longer required it can be deleted – no un-install process is required. Double click SirettaSPARK.exe to run the application. When run for the first time, the ‘Set Key’ pop up window will also appear:
Double click SirettaSPARK.exe to run the application. When run for the first time, the ‘Set Key’ pop up window will also appear:

When this happens, click the ‘Get key’ button on the pop-up box to be taken to the Siretta Portal website, https://portal.siretta.com. A first-time user of the Siretta Portal will first have to register to use the web site. Returning visitors may continue to sign in. The activation key required is found at the very bottom of the web page. This key is unique to the user logged into the portal.

Click the blue key box to copy the key to the clipboard. The box turns green to confirm that this has happened. Paste the key from the clipboard into the SirettaSPARK pop up box and click ‘OK’ to complete the activation of the SirettaSPARK application. A confirmation will pop up saying Key accepted. Activated user:. Confirm that the account name is correct. Activation of the SirettaSPARK tool is now complete and access to SirettaSPARK and its functionality is enabled.

For further guidance on using SirettaSPARK, please refer to the SirettaSPARK user manual. A link to this can be located in the appendix.

Additional reading

The post Installing SirettaSPARK on macOS appeared first on Siretta Limited.

While many of the terms used are common to 2G, 3G and 4G networks, in many cases the range of values returned for any parameter can be different dependent on the generator of technology surveyed.

2G Survey Terms

3GPP

The 3rd Generation Partnership Project. The organisation responsible for maintaining the 2G cellular standards.

Cellular Network

The mobile phone network which carries not only voice but also data. Often referred to as the GSM network or mobile network, GSM being the first digital mobile telephony network.

EDGE

Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution. A packetized data implementation for the GSM network allowing data rates to 236.8 kBits/sec

GPRS

General Packet Radio Services. A packetized data implementation for the GSM network allowing data rates to 85.6 kBits/s.

GSM

Global System for Mobile Communications, the 2G cellular network.

IMEI

International Mobile Equipment Identity. A 15 decimal digit number unique to the cellular device. Its structure is defined by 3GPP.

ITU

International Telecommunication Union. A United Nations agency responsible for standardizing telecommunications. https://www.itu.int.

Cell

All cells discovered in the survey are ranked by signal strength, where cell number 1 is the cell with the strongest signal, 2 is the next strongest, and so on.

Index

This is a unique index number used by the SNYPER to identify a cell. Where the survey is a single survey, the cell number and index number are the same. With multiple surveys that the Index and the Cell numbers can be different as the order of strength of the cells can differ between surveys.

Seen (Graphyte ONLY)

Applicable to all surveys where logging has been used. It is the count of how many times that the cell was seen, and (in brackets) what percentage of the surveys made that represents. There is usually (but not always) a good correlation between received signal strength and how many times that a cell is seen.

ARFCN

This number defines the exact uplink and downlink frequencies used by the cell. It may be any number between 0 and 1023. This number may be looked up in the GSM standard to determine the exact radio frequencies used.

dBm or AV dBm

The measured signal strength of the network in dBm. AV dBm is the average dBm of a multi-cycle survey.

% or AV %

This measurement is derived from the dBm measurement. It is the measured signal strength expressed as a percentage of the maximum possible signal strength which could be obtained. AV % is the average percentage of a multi-cycle survey.

RSSI or AV RSSI

This measurement is derived from the dBm measurement. It is the Received Signal Strength Indication which is obtained by looking up the dBm measurement in a table in the GSM standard. AV RSSI is the average RSSI of a multi-cycle survey.

MCC

Mobile Country Code. It identifies the country from which the network is originating. This should mean the country in which the base station is located. Unfortunately, there are some exceptions to this so it cannot always be used as a positive country indication. Typically used with the MNC to uniquely identify the network discovered.

MNC

Mobile Network Code. This identifies the network operator in conjunction with the MCC. Some network operators such as Vodafone operate in many countries. It cannot be assumed that such network operators will have the same MNC in all countries in which they operate.

LAI

Location Area Identification. Comprises the MCC, MNC and the LAC to uniquely define a geographical location.

CellID

This is a number assigned to a base station cell by its operator. It may be any number between 0 and 65535. Within a survey this is likely to be a unique number, but nationally there is likely to be more than 65535 base stations meaning that the Cell ID number is not likely to be unique at the national level. However, when combined with the LAC a base station may be uniquely identified.

LAC

Location Area Code. It may be any number between 1 and 65535, excluding 65534. It is assigned by the network operator and may be changed periodically for performance reasons (so beware if using it in a database). As implied by the name, the LAC is assigned to a specific geographical area and will be assigned to all base stations in the defined area.

Band

Channel number and designation of the surveyed channel. Derived from the received ARFCN.

BSIC

Visible when using Advanced mode and Engineer mode. This number between 0 and 63 is used to differentiate between cells operating on the same frequency.

DL (MHz)

Visible when using Engineer mode. This is the downlink frequency in MHz of the channel. This is derived from the received ARFCN.

UL (MHz)

Visible when using Engineer mode. This is the uplink frequency in MHz of the channel. This is derived from the received ARFCN.

Network Signal

This bar graph shows the relative strengths of the networks. The bars show percentage strength measurement. They are colour coded:

55 – 100 = green

25 – 54 = amber

0 – 24 = red

The thresholds for the colours are arbitrary and assigned by Siretta as a quick visual que to network quality. The network operator listed is a look-up of the MCC and MNC codes. If a network operator is new or changes their name it is possible that this lookup could be incorrect. Due to it being impossible for Siretta to monitor every network in every country continuously, please report any inaccuracies so that they can be corrected in a firmware update.

3G Survey Terms

Cellular Network

The mobile phone network which carries not only voice but also data. Often referred to as the GSM network or mobile network, GSM being the first digital mobile telephony network.

UMTS

Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. Also known as the 3G network

UTRA

Universal Terrestrial Radio Access. The radio air interface of the 3G UMTS network.

3GPP

3rd Generation Partnership Project. This organisation publishes all the standards for cellular networks (2G, 3G, 4G and beyond, despite what their name implies). https://www.3gpp.org

HSDPA

High Speed Downlink Packet Access. A packetized data implementation for UMTS allowing data rates to 14 MBits/s

HSPA+

Evolved High-Speed Packet Access. A packetized data implementation for UMTS allowing data rates to 42.2 MBits/s.

IMEI

International Mobile Equipment Identity. A 15 decimal digit number unique to the cellular device.

ITU

International Telecommunication Union. A United Nations agency responsible for standardizing telecommunications. https://www.itu.int.

PCI

Physical layer Cell Identity. Used for identifying the signaling used on the radio interface.

UARFCN

UTRA Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number. This is a 3G technology term (equivalent to ARFCN in 2G and EARFCN in 4G). Different number ranges of the UARFCN correspond to different frequency bands. For example, UARFCN 512 through 855 corresponds to GSM 1800.

WCDMA

Wideband Code Division Multiple Access. The initial implementation of packetized data used in UMTS allowing data rates up to 7.2 MBits/sec.

Cell

All cells discovered in the survey are ranked by signal strength, where cell number 1 is the cell with the strongest signal, 2 is the next strongest, and so on.

Index

This is a unique index number used by the SNYPER to identify a cell. Where the survey is a single survey, the cell number and index number are the same. With multiple surveys that the Index and the Cell numbers can be different as the order of strength of the cells can differ between surveys.

Seen (Graphyte ONLY)

Applicable to all surveys where logging has been used. It is the count of how many times that the cell was seen, and (in brackets) what percentage of the surveys made that represents. There is usually (but not always) a good correlation between received signal strength and how many times that a cell is seen.

UARFCN

This number defines the exact uplink and downlink frequencies used by the cell. It may be any number between 0 and 65535, although in practice on the SNYPER the user will only see numbers in the range 2937 to 10838. This number may be looked up in the UMTS standard to determine the exact radio frequencies used.

dBm or AV dBm

The measured signal strength of the network in dBm. AV dBm is the average dBm of a multicycle survey.

% or AV %

This measurement is derived from the dBm measurement. It is the measured signal strength expressed as a percentage of the maximum possible signal strength which could be obtained. AV % is the average percentage of a multi-cycle survey.

RSSI or AV RSSI

This measurement is derived from the dBm measurement. It is the Received Signal Strength Indication which is obtained by looking up the dBm measurement in a table in the GSM standard. AV RSSI is the average RSSI of a multi-cycle survey.

MCC

Mobile Country Code. It identifies the country from which the network is originating. This should mean the country in which the base station is located. Unfortunately, there are some exceptions to this so it cannot always be used as a positive country indication. Typically used with the MNC to uniquely identify the network discovered.

MNC

Mobile Network Code. This identifies the network operator in conjunction with the MCC. Some network operators such as Vodafone operate in many countries. It cannot be assumed that such network operators will have the same MNC in all countries in which they operate.

LAI

Location Area Identification. Comprises the MCC, MNC and the LAC to uniquely define a geographical location.

CellID

This is a number assigned to a cell by its operator. It may be any number between 0 and 268435455. For a 3G network, this field is really called the LCID (Long Cell ID) and comprises the 12-bit RNC-ID concatenated with the 16-bit Cell ID. When combined with the LAC a base station may be uniquely identified.

LAC

Location Area Code. It may be any number between 1 and 65535, excluding 65534. It is assigned by the network operator and may be changed periodically for performance reasons (so beware if using it in a database). As implied by the name, the LAC is assigned to a specific geographical area and will be assigned to all base stations in the defined area.

Band

Channel number and designation of the surveyed channel. Derived from the received UARFCN.

SCR

Visible when using Advanced mode and Engineer mode. It may be any number between 1 and 512. This is the scrambling code used by the channel. Scrambling is used to reduce inter-basestation interference. The value reported by the SNYPER is no indication of performance or cell location.

RSCP

Visible when using Advanced mode and Engineer mode. Received Signal Code Power, reported in dBm. Valid ranges of power measurement are -115 dBm through -25 dBm. This signal power measurement takes no account of interference.

ECIO

Visible when using Advanced mode and Engineer mode. This is the EC/IO ratio in dB. This is a measure of interference in the received signal and may be a number between 0 and 24 dB. A measurement of 0 dB means that the channel is free from interference. The more negative the measurement, the greater the noise. Cells are considered undetectable if EC/IO drops below -20 dB.

DL (MHz)

Visible when using Engineer mode. This is the downlink frequency in MHz of the channel. This is derived from the received UARFCN.

UL (MHz)

Visible when using Engineer mode. This is the uplink frequency in MHz of the channel. This is derived from the received UARFCN.

Network Signal

This bar graph shows the relative strengths of the networks. The bars show percentage strength measurement. They are colour coded:

55 – 100 = green

25 – 54 = amber

0-24 = red

The thresholds for the colours are arbitrary and assigned by Siretta as a quick visual que to network quality. The network operator listed is a look-up of the MCC and MNC codes. If a network operator is new or changes their name it is possible that this lookup could be incorrect. Due to it being impossible for Siretta to monitor every network in every country continuously, please report any inaccuracies so that they can be corrected in a firmware update.

4G Survey Terms

Cellular Network

The mobile phone network which carries not only voice but also data. Often referred to as the GSM network, GSM being the first digital mobile telephony network.

LTE

Long Term Evolution, the 4G cellular network.

MIMO

Multiple In Multiple Out. A method of increasing the capacity of a radio network by using multiple transmit and receive antennas.

E-UTRA

Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access. The radio air interface of the 4G LTE network.

IMEI

International Mobile Equipment Identity. A 15 decimal digit number unique to the cellular device.

ITU

International Telecommunication Union. A United Nations agency responsible for standardizing telecommunications. https://www.itu.int.

VoLTE

Voice over LTE. The mechanism by which packetized voice traffic is carried over the LTE network.

Cell

All cells discovered in the survey are ranked by signal strength, where cell number 1 is the cell with the strongest signal, 2 is the next strongest, and so on.

Index

This is a unique index number used by the SNYPER to identify a cell. Where the survey is a single survey, the cell number and index number are the same. With multiple surveys that the Index and the Cell numbers can be different as the order of strength of the cells can differ between surveys.

Seen (Graphyte ONLY)

Applicable to all surveys where logging has been used. It is the count of how many times that the cell was seen, and (in brackets) what percentage of the surveys made that represents. There is usually (but not always) a good correlation between received signal strength and how many times that a cell is seen.

EARFCN

This number defines the exact uplink and downlink frequencies used by the cell. The standard allows for any number between 0 and 262143, although in practice on the SNYPER the user will only see numbers in the range 0 to 27659. This number may be looked up in the LTE standard to determine the exact radio frequencies used.

dBm or AV dBm

The measured signal strength of the network in dBm. AV dBm is the average of dBm of a multi-cycle survey.

% or AV %

This measurement is derived from the dBm measurement. It is the measured signal strength expressed as a percentage of the maximum possible signal strength which could be obtained. AV % is the average percentage of a multi-cycle survey.

RSSI or AV RSSI

This measurement is derived from the dBm measurement. It is the Received Signal Strength Indication which is obtained by looking up the dBm measurement in a table in the GSM standard. AV RSSI is the average RSSI of a multi-cycle survey.

MCC

Mobile Country Code. It identifies the country from which the network is originating. This should mean the country in which the base station is located. Unfortunately, there are some exceptions to this so it cannot always be used as a positive country indication. Typically used with the MNC to uniquely identify the network discovered.

MNC

Mobile Network Code. This identifies the network operator in conjunction with the MCC. Some network operators such as Vodafone operate in many countries. It cannot be assumed that such network operators will have the same MNC in all countries in which they operate.

LAI

Location Area Identification. Comprises the MCC, MNC and the LAC to uniquely define a geographical location.

CellID

This is the Cell Identifier number assigned to a cell by its operator. It may be any number between 0 and 268435455. For a 4G network, this field is really called the LCID (Long Cell ID) and comprises the 12-bit RNC-ID concatenated with the 16-bit Cell ID. When combined with the TAC a base station may be uniquely identified.

TAC

Tracking Area Code. It may be any number between 1 and 65535, excluding 65534. It is assigned by the network operator and may be changed periodically for performance reasons (so beware if using it in a database). The TAC is assigned to a specific geographical area and will be assigned to all base stations in the defined area.

Band

Channel number and designation of the surveyed channel. Derived from the received EARFCN.

PCI

Physical CellID. Visible when using Advanced mode and Engineer mode. This is the Physical layer Cell Identity (PCI). It may be any number between 0 and 503. The PCI determines how the signalling works on the radio interface and has some similarity to the way that scrambling codes are used on UMTS networks. It is not used as an identity within the network.

RSRP

Reference Signal Received Power. This is like an RSSI measurement, and like RSSI is measured in dBm. RSSI indicates the total power in the channel passband which includes noise signals and other interference. The less negative, the stronger the signal. RSRP differs in that it measures only the power of the LTE reference signals and is therefore a better indication of the signal strength of an active connection. RSRP and/or RSRQ are used by the network to determine cell selection.

RSRQ

Reference Signal Received Quality. This is the ratio of the RSRP measurement to the RSSI measurement measured in dB. The less negative, the better the quality of the signal. RSRP and/or RSRQ are used by the network to determine cell selection, although RSRP is usually chosen as the primary selection method.

BW

Visible when using Advanced mode and Engineer mode. This is the downlink bandwidth in MHz.

DL (MHz)

Visible when using Engineer mode. This is the downlink frequency in MHz of the channel. This is derived from the received EARFCN.

UL (MHz)

Visible when using Engineer mode. This is the uplink frequency in MHz of the channel. This is derived from the received EARFCN.

Network Signal

This bar graph shows the relative strengths of the networks. The bars show percentage strength measurement. They are colour coded:

55 – 100 = green

25 – 54 = amber

0-24 = red

The thresholds for the colours are arbitrary and assigned by Siretta as a quick visual que to network quality. The network operator listed is a look-up of the MCC and MNC codes. If a network operator is new or changes their name it is possible that this lookup could be incorrect. Due to it being impossible for Siretta to monitor every network in every country continuously, please report any inaccuracies so that they can be corrected in a firmware update.

The post SNYPER Survey Terminology appeared first on Siretta Limited.

Introduction

The SNYPER range of cellular signal analysers are equipped with a built-in display for viewing survey results. Given their compact screen size, users may opt to view survey results on a smartphone or tablet to benefit from a larger display. Modern android devices offer the ability to read data from an external hard drive, users can utilise this functionality to directly view SNYPER surveys on their device.

Objective

This application note provides guidance on how to access files from the SNYPER’s internal hard drive using an android device.

Requirements

• Android mobile device with USB OTG (On-The-Go) support.
• USB-C to USB-C cable that supports data transmission (A suitable cable is supplied with the 5G starter kit).
• Micro-B to USB-C cable (if using an older android device).
• A file manager app installed on the device (e.g., Files by google, Samsung My Files).

Procedure

Firstly, verify whether the device natively supports USB OTG. While most modern smartphones and tablets do, it is best to confirm this with the device’s user manual or by installing an application that can check for OTG compatibility.

If opting for the application route:

1. Search the Google Play™ store for an application called “USB OTG Checker – Check USB OT”.   
2. Install and launch this application.
3. Press the “Check” button to view the results.

If the device does not support USB OTG, then acquiring one that does will be necessary to continue.

Connecting the devices

1. Connect one end of the USB cable to the SNYPER and the other end to the Android device.
2. Power on the SNYPER and activate “USB HDD Enable”
3. Navigate to and open the file manager app of choice.
4. A window should appear asking the user to grant permissions to access the device, press “Allow”.
5. Select ‘Snyper’ from the list of storage devices.

Accessing the hard drive

In the SNYPER’s file directory, folders are labelled according to the date the survey took place (year/month/day).

1. Browse the folders to find the desired survey.
2. Select the ‘HTML’ subfolder.
3. Open the desired HTML report.

The HTML file will launch in the default browser. Use pinch-to-zoom gestures on the HTML page to enhance visibility of the content. Alternatively, rotate the device to landscape orientation.

Following the outlined steps, users should now be able to view and access survey reports on their android devices.

Additional reading

The post Accessing the SNYPER HDD using an Android™ device appeared first on Siretta Limited.

The cellular networks do not broadcast network names as a name that we would directly recognise ourselves. Instead it broadcasts two codes which when put together can be used to look up and identify the network with its name.

They are:

• Mobile Country Code, MCC
• Mobile Network Code, MNC

These fields are captured and displayed by the SNYPER in every network survey report. Within the SNYPER there is a database which is used to lookup the MCC+MNC codes to find the network name to display. This network name is also shown in the survey report.

So, for example, MCC=234 and MNC=15 shows the network as Vodafone in the UK.

MCC (Mobile Country Code)

The MCC field is coded as in ITU-T Rec. E212, Annex A. This is a list created and maintained by the International Telecommunications Union and is published on their web site. It always consists of 3 numbers, the first digit of which indicates the geographic region in which it is to be used:

• 0: Test networks
• 2: Europe
• 3: North America and the Caribbean Islands
• 4: Asia and the Middle East
• 5: Australia and the Pacific Islands
• 6: Africa
• 7: South and Central America
• 9: Worldwide (Generally on aircraft/ships, private networks and Antarctica)

Most countries have just one MCC assigned to them. But some countries (India, the United Kingdom and the USA) have 2 or more MCC codes assigned to them.

While generally static, this list has been updated a few times during its life. New countries have been added such as North Macedonia and Kosovo which results in new MCC codes being added, and some have been withdrawn such as Guam which now uses the MCC of the USA.

The MCC list covers all countries, regardless of their membership of the ITU. Any changes to the list are published in Operational Bulletins that are published by the ITU bi-weekly.

MNC (Mobile Network Code)

The MNC field is coded as in ITU-T Rec. E212, Annex B. The latest published version of Annex B is dated 15 December 2018. This is a list maintained by the International Telecommunications Union and is published on their web site. However, it differs from the MCC list in a number of ways:

• MNC codes are assigned by the appropriate regulator in each country, not by the ITU.
• The ITUs list is a list of ITU members MNC codes. Not every country is a member (although most are). Notable exceptions are disputed countries/regions, of which Taiwan would be the most recognisable.
• It is the responsibility of each country to report changes in their MNC assignments to the ITU within 90 days. Not all countries do this in a timely manner. Some seem to struggle to do this at all.

The ITU publish changes to the MNC list every 2 weeks in their Operational Bulletins. So to get a definitive list of all MNCs that are active, you need to take the formal published list dated 15 Dec 2018 and then apply all the updates from the 2 weekly Operational Bulletins published since then. This gives the official list.

But the official list does not always reflect reality. Name changes can often go unreported, as can new assignments. Additionally, the names on the list are the official network name owners. These owners may be unfamiliar to many people as they often trade under completely different names. For instance, in the UK it is Telefonica that is listed in the MNC list, but they trade as O2.

The MNC code is always either 2 or 3 digits long. Where the assigned network number is a single figure, it is prefixed with a leading zero to make it 2 digits.

PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network)

The PLMN is another term that is used. This is simply the concatenation of the MCC and the MNC. The resulting PLMN is therefore 5 or 6 digits long. The PLMN will uniquely identify any cellular network worldwide.

The PLMN list that Siretta uses is the ITU MCC & MNC lists, augmented with the unreported (to the ITU) networks and using the trading names that would be familiar to those using the networks. The latest version of the SNYPER firmware always contains the latest PLMN list maintained by Siretta. This PLMN list contains over 2800 entries.

Explanation of SNYPER operation

The SNYPER determines the network operator of any radio cells by examining the Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH) of the cells in view. The BCCH is a channel that is always broadcast at full power to advertise the cells availability and operational parameters to all cellular end points within range. The operational parameters are sent as numbered system Information messages. The System Information type 3 message within the BCCH (1 p. 246) contains a Location Area Identification field (2 pp. 492-493)  which contains the PLMN. This is extracted from the BCCH by the Snyper. The PLMN is broken down into MCC and MNC in the reports provided by the Snyper, and the network operator represented by the PLMN is displayed.

Where cell sharing occurs, the cell may broadcast up to four additional PLMNs. This is indicated in the optional system information type 22 message broadcast in the BCCH (1 pp. 167, 256-257). Cell sharing may take 2 forms. In one, the cell is shared with another network operator. In the other, the network operator sends additional PLMNs that are also owned by that operator. Both cases require further explanation.

One network sending multiple PLMNs

This survey, conducted at Dover Harbour in the UK, shows examples of two networks sending out two PLMNs from the same cell.

There is EE in the UK on cells 2 & 3, 5 & 6, 13 & 14; and Free Mobile in France on cells 7 & 8. In each of these cases the CellID (and indeed all other measured parameters) are the same, and the only difference is the MNC reported.

There are several reasons why this may occur, but the background for each is to be found in the history books. For EE, this stems from a deal made between One2One (which later became T-Mobile before becoming EE) and Virgin Mobile. Virgin Mobile used MNC=32 (While T-Mobile used MNC=30) (3). For Free Mobile, this seems to stem from a roaming agreement with Orange (4).

Where one network sends multiple PLMNs it is important to recognise this and to interpret the results presented as the number of cells seen, not the number of apparent networks. This is why the summary results at the bottom of the survey report breaks the reported number of networks down by the ID (=PLMN) and not network name.

Cell Sharing with additional operators

This can be seen by careful inspection of survey results from a SNYPER. Generally, this only occurs with LTE cells as sharing was built into the LTE standards right from the beginning and is therefore easy to implement operationally. This can be seen in the results provided by a SNYPER. Look carefully at the survey report below (which was conducted at the Siretta offices, which are in a rural location):

You will see that cells 1 and 2 have the same CellID (and so are physically the same Cell), but that the MNCs are from different network operators. It is important to recognise and understand when cells are shared in this manner. If that cell fails and goes offline for any reason, all the networks supported on that cell fail. So if you were going to install a dual SIM router, at this location it would be a poor decision to choose both O2 and Vodafone as network providers since the only O2 cell is linked with Vodafone. In this case, Vodafone and EE would be the best choices for a dual SIM router as EE coverage is both reasonable and there is plenty of redundancy in the local EE network at this location. As an aside, an installer might also note that an antenna that gives good performance at 800 MHz would be the best choice in this location, regardless of network chosen.

References

1. 3GPP. TS 144 018 – V15.4.0 – Digital cellular telecommunications system (Phase 2+) (GSM); Mobile radio interface layer 3 specification; GSM/EDGE Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol (3GPP TS 44.018 version 15.4.0 Release 15). ETSI. [Online] 04 2019. [Cited: 13 10 2020.] https://www.etsi.org/deliver/etsi_ts/144000_144099/144018/15.04.00_60/ts_144018v150400p.pdf. ETSI TS 144 018 V15.4.0 (2019-04).
2. —. TS 124 008 – V16.5.0 – Digital cellular telecommunications system (Phase 2+) (GSM); Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); LTE; 5G; Mobile radio interface Layer 3 specification; Core network protocols; Stage 3 (3GPP TS 24.008 version 16.5.0 R. ETSI. [Online] 07 2020. [Cited: 13 10 2020.] https://www.etsi.org/deliver/etsi_ts/124000_124099/124008/16.05.00_60/ts_124008v160500p.pdf. ETSI TS 124 008 V16.5.0 (2020-07).
3. Wikipedia. Virgin Mobile (UK). Wikipedia. [Online] 08 21 2020. [Cited: 14 10 2020.] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_Mobile_(UK).
4. Rozier, Ulrich. Free Mobile and the mysterious 208-16 network: why Orange roaming will improve. Frandroid. [Online] 09 07 2019. [Cited: 14 10 2020.] https://www.frandroid.com/telecom/607663_free-mobile-et-208-16.

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